Cry Havoc
by Kiwi1
Summary: What happens if the world that the evil queen cursed everyone to was not quite ours... SwanQueen AU
1. Chapter 1

Author note

Not sure what to call this, but well the idea came to me and I had to write it. It's been a few years since I've dabbled in writing anything so I'm likely a tad rusty. Please forgive any errors as this is completely unbetad.

Swan Queen AU set in a world that's not quite ours.

**Disclaimer: None of the characters belong to me and no profit is being made from this endeavour.**

**Part 1**

Emma Swan frowned as she stared at the lone cupcake sitting on her kitchen table. The candle she had bought was ridiculously oversized in comparison, totally overwhelming the tiny cupcake. She glared for a few more seconds, her nose wrinkling at the smell of the frosting.

"This is stupid".

She was certainly well past the age where birthday wishes meant anything, and given her condition, past the stage where birthdays themselves meant anything. Her hand closed around the cupcake, fully intending to crush it, but she paused at the last second.

"Oh what the hell". She picked up the lighter instead and set the candle alight. Emma closed her eyes, her lips moving soundlessly, before she drew a breath and blew out the candle.

The flame had barely flickered out of existence, when there was a knock on the door.

Emma froze, her head rotating towards the door. She grimaced and immediately stopped breathing. It had been over a week, and a glance in the mirror earlier that day had shown how dark her eyes currently were.

She was tempted to ignore the knocking, but it only became more insistent to the point where it was going to annoy her neighbours. The last thing Emma needed was extra attention of any kind. She glided to the door and flung it open.

"What the f.."She broke off in shock. Of all the things she expected to see, a kid was certainly the last thing she would have picked to find at her door at this hour of the night.

The kid looked up at her, his face breaking out into a cautious smile. "Are you Emma Swan?"

Emma frowned not really liking the fact that the kid knew her name" Yes I am."

The kid's smile became brilliant. "Cool. I'm Henry. I'm your son."

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TBC


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Nothing belongs to me yadayadayada..

Part 2

She was stupid. Not just normal stupid, but the kind of stupid that got you on the Darwin awards stupid. Seriously what was she thinking? Emma gritted her teeth as she glanced sideways at the kid currently asleep in the passenger seat of her car. She should have just sent him home by himself, but something probably the same thing that made her wish on a cupcake of all things, prompted her to get in her car and drive him home.

Of course the fact that he thought his mother was the Evil Queen from the Snow White fairytale, and that Emma was apparently destined to defeat her may have also played a small part in her decision to take him home. It was a classic coping mechanism. She'd seen it plenty of times in foster care and it was something she herself used to do. When she was Henry's age she truly believed that one day her mom and dad would come swooping in and save her, but time and life itself had certainly cured her of that. The kid didn't look abused though. Just going by the quality of the clothing he had on alone, it didn't seem like he had a tough life. Abuse didn't always have to be physical though, so regardless of the risks she was going in person to make sure the kid was in good hands.

Emma cracked the window on the Beetle a bit more, but it was more a precaution than anything else. Maybe it had something to do with him being her kid an all, but she was surprisingly comfortable around him. It was a good thing she still had the Beetle as it made returning the kid a bit less awkward than it would have been otherwise. She'd been 17 when she'd bought it and still remembered the feeling of pride and accomplishment she'd felt after nearly a year of saving for it. Even though it didn't really fit in with her current lifestyle, she could never quite bring herself to get rid of the bright yellow car.

The kid stirred in his seat and Emma could hear his heart rate and breathing accelerate as he slowly woke up. She double checked her reflection in the rear vision mirror and was happy to see the contact lenses were still in place. She probably had a couple more hours of use out of them.

Emma could feel the kid staring at her, but she deliberately focused on the road.

"You're really pretty", his voice was small and awed.

Emma frowned. The last thing she wanted was for him to get attached to her. "Yes, but I bet your mom's pretty as well".

"She's not my mom". His reply was instant and vehement. "She's evil!"

"Look kid.."

"Henry! My name is Henry!"

Emma sighed, "Ok then Henry. You got to admit that this is a bit much to swallow. Tell me why you think your mom is this evil queen."

The kid scrambled for his pack and pulled out the heavy book of fairytales he'd shown her earlier. "It's all in here. The evil queen cast a curse and sent all the fairytale characters to a world with no happy endings". His stomach chose that moment to interrupt with a load gurgle and Henry glanced at her sheepishly.

"Emma, do you think we could stop for something to eat please. I didn't eat dinner today".

Emma cursed silently, having forgotten about everyday niceties like three meals a day. It had been a while since she had to worry about things like that. "Sure. We'll stop at the next food place we see".

Thankfully Emma only had to drive a couple of miles further down the road before they found a diner. She pulled into the parking lot and switched off the car. She reached into the back seat and grabbed her Celtics cap and jammed it down over her long blonde hair, making sure her face was as obscured as possible by the brim.

"Let's go get you fed kid". Emma got out of the car and Henry followed suit. He waited for her at the front of the car, sliding his gloved hand into hers and tugging her towards the diner. After a moment of initial surprise at the contact, Emma allowed him to drag her along. They entered the diner and she grimaced at the smell of fried food. A few of the tables were occupied, mainly by truck drivers, which wasn't surprising given the hour, but there was one table full of rowdy teenagers. Emma directed them to a booth as far away from the teenagers as possible, and they settled in opposite each other.

"What can I get you?" The lone waitress in the diner appeared at their table.

Emma gestured at Henry to go ahead and order.

"Cheeseburger and fries please. And a chocolate milkshake", he grinned widely at the waitress and she smiled back. Emma had to admit he was a cute kid, with his neatly cut brown hair and innocent green eyes.

"Anything for you ma'am?" The waitress eyes widened as she took in Emma's features. The baseball cap could only do so much at this range.

"No thanks", Emma replied coolly and deliberately turned her attention to the window hoping the woman would get the message. She was well aware of the effect her looks had on people and didn't want to attract any extra attention.

She heard the waitress sigh before moving away from their table.

"You're not hungry?" Henry looked at her curiously.

"I ate earlier". It wasn't technically a lie, but Emma wasn't exactly going to explain her dietary requirements to a 10 year old. She'd had to use her emergency stash before they'd left the apartment in Boston, and she still had enough left to last her a fortnight at least, but she didn't think it would come to that. She wasn't intending to stay long anyway. Drop the kid off and then leave as soon as possible. Her situation certainly did not allow for her to stay anywhere long term, yet alone afford her the ability to look after a child.

Henry's food arrived fairly quickly and he immediately dug in. Emma was amused to note that even though he was obviously very hungry, he still ate with impeccable manners. If it'd been Emma she would have been holding the burger and stuffing her face with it, but the kid was actually using cutlery. He didn't try to make conversation, which Emma was rather relieved about. It was uncomfortable enough being in the diner as it was, with the combined smell of cooked food and the general background scent of humanity sending conflicting impulses to her brain. She focused instead on slowing her breathing down, trying to limit the overstimulation.

"I need to use the bathroom" Henry shifted in his seat uncomfortably. His plate was empty, bar a couple of burnt fries.

Emma's eyes widened. "Oh okay." She glanced frantically around the diner and was never more relieved to see the familiar signs pointing towards the washrooms.

She stood up and Henry followed her. They parted awkwardly at the two doors separating the genders and Emma carefully closed and locked the door behind her. The bathroom was tiny, just a single stall and washbasin. She checked her reflection in the mirror and grimaced. Her earlier estimate on the life of her contact lenses was obviously a bit optimistic. The edges were already starting to fray and dissolve, the stark colour of her natural eye colour showing through the dark brown of the lenses. Luckily it was night so it wasn't that noticeable at this stage, but she was definitely going to have to change them before she met the kid's mom. She washed her hands more out of habit than anything, before leaving the bathroom.

Henry was already waiting outside, and his face lit up in relief when he saw her.

"Ready to get going kid? "

"Yes". He once again slipped his hand into hers and Emma tried not to flinch at the contact. She stopped at the counter and quickly paid for the meal, before ushering Henry outside. Emma unlocked the car and they both hopped in.

"Buckle up. We're about 2 hours out from Storybrooke".

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Reviews are like a great cup of coffee. You always look forward to the next one.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer**: The characters don't belong to me. No profit is being made from this endeavour.

**Part 3**

The kid had fallen asleep again, leaving Emma to her thoughts. They weren't far from their destination, but she was worried. She glanced towards the eastern horizon, which was already brightening with the impending sunrise. She had overestimated her car's top speed and it had ended up being closer to 3 hours to their destination. Her watch beeped and she frowned at the red warning text that scrolled across the screen. If they didn't get to Storybrooke soon, Emma was going to find herself in a rather awkward predicament. She cursed under her breath and berated herself yet again for her poor planning.

Emma was very relieved to spot the turnoff for Storybrooke a couple of minutes later. The access road was winding and cut through a thick forest, which was filled with an abundance of wildlife from what her ears were telling her. The car crested the top of a hill and she could see the town spread out below them. It was all very picturesque down to the sign she could see up ahead that proclaimed "Welcome to Storybrooke.

As the car drew level with the sign, Emma felt a searing pain in her chest. She slammed on the brakes, the car skidding to a halt as her world turned into white hot pain. She slumped over the steering wheel, as her entire body felt like it was burning up from the inside out.

"Emma!" The sudden stop had woken Henry and he was frantically calling her name.

Emma just concentrated on breathing, and to her relief the pain started to recede. "I'm ok Henry. Just give me a sec". She pushed back from the steering and closed her eyes and leant back against the seat.

After a few more moments of deep breathing, she cautiously opened her eyes. Emma blinked. Something wasn't right. Everything seemed out of focus, with the colours all washed out, almost like watching an old movie on a high definition TV. Her ears were ringing and underneath it all she could hear a steady metronome beat. She placed a hand on her chest, remembering the intense pain that had originated there and froze.

It couldn't be.

With a shaking hand she put the tips of her fingers to her neck, only to confirm what the hand on her chest had found. Emma slowly reached up and adjusted the rear view mirror so she could see her reflection. Her face was flushed, a thin sheen of sweat covering her skin, but the biggest shock were the two green eyes staring back at her. "It's not possible", she whispered.

"What's not possible"?

Emma had almost forgotten that Henry was in the car with her. He was pale and had his backpack clutched tightly to his chest like a shield. The fear on his face was enough to jolt her out of her turmoil. She took a deep breath and attempted a reassuring smile.

"It's not possible for a real place to look so pretty", she gestured lamely at the forest surrounding them and the town spread out below. Going by the look on Henry's face, she didn't think he was buying what she was shovelling.

"I'm ok kid. Just got a bit of cramp." For added effect, Emma reached down to rub the back of her right calf. "Guess I should have stopped to stretch my legs".

Henry continued to look at her sceptically, but his tight grip on his backpack loosened.

"Seriously I'm fine. Just give me a minute to walk it off and we can get going again."

Emma shot another reassuring smile at Henry and opened her door. She cautiously put both feet on the ground and gingerly stood up. Her balance definitely felt off and she made sure she had a firm grip on the door for stability. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. The smell of pine sap and heated metal invaded her nose, but that was all. Her brow wrinkled in disquiet. Apparently her nose was telling her she was in a forest, standing next to a car, which was great if it wasn't already so blatantly obvious. There should be more, so much more. She took another breath, trying to get a grip on her disorientation. Still the same, pine sap and heated car, but now the acrid smell of sweat was starting to creep in.

Her own sweat.

Emma's eyes flew open and she stared sightlessly into the forest, disbelief and fear freezing her thoughts. Her hand once again crept to her chest. Even through her leather jacket, the rapid beat of her pulse was obvious against her palm.

"Emma"?

Once again Henry's voice jolted her out of reverie. Emma grimaced, pushing down her fear. She needed to get the kid home first before she could deal with whatever it was that was happening to her.

"One minute Henry". Emma forced herself to let go of the car and took a few uncertain steps away. It was like being a toddler again, trying to find her centre of balance. After a few more unsteady steps, she finally figured out that she needed to plant her foot more firmly instead of the lightfooted glide she was used to. Once that happened her stride became much more stable, but she suspected that she now moved more like a linebacker that her usual graceful ballerina glide. Her limbs felt awkward and heavy, like they were still recovering from a bad bout of pins and needles. After a couple more laps of the car, Emma was confident enough that she wouldn't be faceplanting any time soon. She got back into the car and flashed Henry a smile.

"See good as new." She started the Beetle and guided it back onto the road. "Let's get you home to your mom". As she expected the word mom acted like a red flag to Henry and he immediately began to protest.

"She's not my mom!" He launched into his fairytale spiel again, completely forgetting about Emma's odd behaviour.

Emma felt a little bit guilty about manipulating Henry, but it was for his own good. As she drove though, her eyes continually strayed to her image in the rear view mirror. Her lips compressed into a thin line. Something was definitely going on in Storybrooke, but she very much doubted it had anything to do with fairytales.

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Thanks all for the reviews. They are really appreciated and motivate me to write that much faster. As for what AU world this is, I think this chapter has a few more clues in it ;)

Thanks again for the reviews.


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: Nothing belongs to me. Certain scenes and dialogue, belong to ABC.**

Emma's eyes widened as she took in the mansion they had stopped in front off. Light blazed from the house, and it seemed that almost every room was lit. The garden surrounding the house was immaculate down to the neatly trimmed hedges along the footpath. The only thing that looked out of place was the police cruiser parked in the driveway.

"You live here kid?"

"Yes". Henry didn't look happy to be back. He opened his car door and set off towards the house without another word. Emma winced. She'd been adamant about returning Henry home immediately and he hadn't taken it well. He needed to understand that she wasn't his mom. It was too dangerous for either of them to indulge that fantasy any longer. Her mouth set into a determined line and she got out of the car. She followed behind him at a slower pace, and was halfway down the path when the front door flew open. A stunning dark haired woman rushed out and grabbed Henry in a fierce hug. Everything about her screamed money and privilege, right down to the bottom of her 4 inch Louboutins.

"Henry"! The relief in her voice was obvious. "Where did you go? Do you know how worried I've been". She bent trying to look at his face.

Henry struggled in her grasp and refused to make eye contact. "I went to find my real mom". The woman's arms went slack at his words, and that allowed Henry to break free. He pushed past and ran into the house without a backward glance. Emma was close enough to see a flash of pain cross the woman's beautiful face, but it was quickly erased as she turned her attention to the blonde.

"I'll just go check on him". Out of the corner of her eye, Emma saw a man dressed in sheriff's uniform edge his way into the house.

Her attention was entirely focused on the impeccably dressed woman in front of her. She was wearing an elegant grey dress that hugged her curves in all the right places. Dark eyes locked with Emma's, and the world froze around them.

"You're Henry's birth mother?" The woman's voice trembled slightly, the only indication that she was not entirely in control.

"Hi", Emma managed awkwardly after a desperate swallow, as she tried to shake off the effect the woman had on her. She raised her hand in a pathetic half wave and then quickly turned it pointing at herself. "Emma Swan. That's me."

The woman's gaze dropped to Emma's hand and then flicked back to her face. "Regina Mills". Something flickered in her eyes briefly, before her perfect features shifted into an expression of cool regard. "Miss Swan, how would you like a glass of the best apple cider you've ever tasted?"

"Sure. Why not?" Emma followed her into the mansion, still reeling from the intensity of her reaction to the dark haired woman. She clamped down on her first instinct, which was to run. It was her default response to anything that threatened her equilibrium. That was not an option here. She had to make sure that the kid was in good hands first.

It had been a while since she'd been invited into anyone's home for any purpose other than her job. The inside of the house was as stunning as its owner. Warm wooden floors polished to perfection gave the place an air of refined elegance. Two vases with white flowers were artfully arranged on matching antique side tables, obviously colour coordinated to match the décor. The foyer had several rooms leading off it, but the dominant feature was the staircase at its centre.

There was a muted thump of a door closing from upstairs and the sheriff appeared at the top of the stairs. "The lad's fine. He's just a bit tired, but other than that, everything seems to be ok."

"Thank you Sheriff". Regina nodded at him.

"I'll see myself out Madame Mayor". His gaze briefly flicked to Emma before he exited the front door.

The kid's mom was the mayor._ Just great_. Emma's hand twitched as she forced herself not to touch her chest. As if she didn't have enough problems already. Now she had to deal with someone who very likely had the power to dig into her life and turn up all sorts of awkward things she didn't have answers for.

"You have a job I assume, Miss Swan?" Regina's heels clicked on the wooden floor as she walked into the dining room and busied herself at what looked to be a minibar.

Emma unsure about what to do just hovered in the foyer. "Yeah I keep busy".

"Imagine having another one on top of it. That's being a single mom". The clink of ice dropping onto crystal acted as a sharp underscore to the mayor's honey smooth voice. "You have to understand, ever since I became mayor, balancing things has been tricky. So I push for order. Am I strict? Sure, but it's only because I want Henry to excel in life." Regina finished assembling their drinks and came back out with two crystal glass tumblers filled with an amber liquid.

"I don't think that makes me evil". She flashed Emma a smile and handed her one of the glasses. As Emma's hand closed over the glass, their fingers brushed, sending a jolt through the blonde. She almost dropped the glass in surprise, and going by the expression on Regina's face she'd certainly felt something as well.

Emma swallowed nervously and decided ignoring it was the best option. "I'm sure he's just saying that because of the fairytale thing".

"What fairytale thing?" Regina turned on her heel and made her way to one of the other rooms. It was a study with wall to wall bookcases and a blazing fire that took up one side of the room.

"You know his book?" Emma eyed the large bowl of red apples sitting on the coffee table as she gingerly sat down on what looked to be an antique couch. "How he thinks everyone is a cartoon character from it?"

Regina took a seat opposite her on a matching piece and crossed her legs elegantly. "I'm sorry, I have no idea what you're talking about." The dark haired woman sounded honestly bewildered. She was either a great actress or she really had no clue about Henry's fairytale fixation.

"You know what. It's none of my business." Emma raised her glass to her lips and took a big gulp of it. Her hand froze mid motion as she realised what she had done.

_Oh shit._

Emma's eyes widened in shock as an explosion of tart sweetness overwhelmed her taste buds. She hurriedly swallowed the cider and it left a pleasant burn in her throat, a nice change from what she usually experienced.

"Wow you weren't kidding. This apple cider is great". She sighed in relief and slowly lowered her glass.

"Thank you. I make it myself." Regina's lips compressed into a thin smile.

Emma carefully placed her glass on the table. "Look he's your kid. I'm not here to cause any problems for you." She took a deep breath and met the other woman's eyes.

"Do you love him?"

Regina's gaze never wavered from hers. "Of course I do". Her voice was quiet but there was no mistaking the feeling behind the words.

Emma nodded. "That's all I needed to know." She got to her feet. "And I really should be heading back."

"Of course". Regina looked surprised, but she rose gracefully and headed to the study door. She held it open for Emma and before the blonde knew it she was sitting in her car again.

She sat for a long moment, her fingers gripping the steering wheel tightly. She'd done what she'd come here to do. As far as she could see, Henry was in good hands. The mayor seemed pretty intense, but she could tell that the woman did actually truly care for him. In the end that's all that really mattered.

Emma knew she should start the car and leave but she couldn't make herself do it. She stared in bewilderment at the house. What was wrong with her? She was in the clear, absolved of all responsibility to the kid. It was well past time to move on. As she watched, the lights on the lower floor started flicking out, and pretty soon most of the mansion was in darkness. Her lips twitched into an unconscious smile as she thought about the owner of the house. She certainly was easy on the eyes. In fact Regina was attractive enough to almost pass for one of _them._ At that thought, she abruptly sobered. She definitely had no place in Henry's life and certainly even less in Regina's.

"Game face on Swan". Emma started the car and headed back the way she came. Her instincts were telling her that once she left Storybrooke certain things would resolve themselves. Once that happened she fully intended to get as far away from this quaint little town as possible.

If she'd looked back she would have seen curtains twitch, as a pale hand held them back. Dark eyes filled with turmoil, gazed after the taillights of her car long after they disappeared.

* * *

Emma slowed down as she saw the sign up ahead. She squinted slightly and the letters resolved themselves into 'You are now leaving Storybrooke.' She pulled over to the side of the road, and stopped a couple of feet away from the sign. Going by what had happened when she had arrived into town, something told her that she didn't want to be driving her car once she left it. She got out of the Beetle and walked the remaining distance to the sign. She stopped just before it and then glanced back. If what she thought happened once she stepped past the sign, it was going to make retrieving her car a bit of a problem.

Her mouth twisted as she stared at her beloved Beetle. It was a big price to pay, but it would also guarantee her freedom. She had a feeling that Henry might try to find her again, and her car was definitely one way to do that. She was also pretty sure that the sheriff would have noted her plates and if a certain mayor wanted to do some digging, it would be a big blinking arrow leading directly to her. If what Henry had said was true, and bad things happened to people who tried to leave Storybrooke, then her abandoned car would send the message she needed it to.

Emma Swan needed to disappear for good.

She stepped forward and her world turned to fire.

Back in Storybrooke, Regina Mills clutched at her chest in agony and sunk to her knees on her bedroom floor, bewilderment and fear etching her features.

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Thanks again for the awesome reviews. Some of the dialogue here may seem familiar as it's directly from the first episode of OUAT. I've changed a couple of things around of course, since this is AU. The next chapter will definitely have confirmation of what world we're playing in. Maybe.. ;)


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: Nothing belongs to me**

Part 5

Emma's eyes snapped open. She was lying on her back, stretched out on the road. _Son of a bitch,_ that had hurt more than she'd thought it would. She flexed her fingers and they sank into the road below her, tearing gouges into the surface as tar immediately crumbled into powder. With an aggravated sigh, she flicked the powdery remains of her fingers and glided effortlessly to her feet.

Going by her watch, it seemed she'd only been out a couple of minutes, but the sun was now fully up. Her car looked forlorn, sitting by the side of the road with the driver's door still open. She gazed sadly at it. She really was going to miss the old Beetle.

Emma frowned as something caught her eye. With the sun backlighting the dust motes in the air, a slight distortion in their movements were clearly visible near the sign. It was like the motes were coming up against an invisible barrier and then bouncing off it. She traced the distortion with her eyes and she could see that it extended in both directions on either side of the road, curving slightly at the outer edges. She tilted her head back and noted that it also extended vertically. It was like Storybrooke was contained in an invisible bubble.

Well that was interesting, but first things first. She'd better make sure that everything was in working order. She took a deep breath and expanded her senses outwards only to immediately recoil in horror. The area surrounding Storybrooke was drenched in scent markers. She could detect at least 10 individual scents sending one overwhelming message: _Claimed Territory. Keep Out._

This was bad. Very bad. Etiquette demanded she leave the area immediately. She had already broken a taboo by even crossing that scent boundary in the first place. If the owners caught her, they had every right to tear her apart. She concentrated on her own scent and was relieved to note that it was already fading around her. There would be nothing to track her directly.

She switched her focus to the scent markers. Each individual scent was like a band of colour, with its own unique hue to identify it. The bands twisted like ribbons woven into a scent boundary that followed the contours of the actual bubble that surrounded Storybrooke almost exactly, but separated by about 20 feet. The majority of the scents were confined to the scent boundary, but one crossed the deadzone between the two bubbles.

Emma tensed in fear, a growl leaving her throat. That lone scent continued into Storybrooke itself, to where her defenceless son and his mother slept. She forced herself to calm down. The scent was at least a month old, so whoever it was had been and gone.

She needed more information.

Emma reached for her phone and dialled a number.

_"Delgardo, it's Swan. I need everything you can pull up on Storybrooke, Maine."_

_"Yes, usual rates."_

_"That's fine."_

She pocketed her phone. Marcus Delgardo was an information broker and a damned good one. He was expensive, but his intel had saved her from having to deal with unwanted complications on several occasions.

Leaving Storybrooke was no longer an option. She needed to find out exactly what was going on and then make sure that Henry was safe from whatever it was.

Emma turned her attention to the barrier around Storybrooke. Both Henry and her had been able to pass through it, although it had left her slightly worse for wear. Maybe its purpose was to keep people like Emma out. Or at least level the playing field. It certainly made a whole lot more sense than Henry's fairytale nonsense. The only problem with that theory though was the scent that crossed into Storybrooke. She inhaled deeply and focused on it again. The scent remained unchanged on either side of the barrier, which meant that the owner was not suffering the drawbacks she had. There was no point speculating too much at this stage though, not until she had more information. Hopefully she'd hear back from Delgardo soon, so she'd have a better idea with exactly who she was dealing with.

She picked up a rock from the side of the road and idly flicked it at the barrier. It whistled through the air and as it hit the barrier, a fine mist of particles appeared around it, excluded from passing through. The majority of the rock though, continued on its trajectory and slammed into the sign on the Storybrooke side, knocking it over. Emma grimaced at the damage, but her attention stayed on the mist of particles slowly drifting to the ground on her side of the barrier. It looked like organic material, possibly lichen that had been living on the rock.

She moved closer and before she could second guess herself, stuck her arm through the barrier. She groaned as agonising pain spread though her arm, like she'd dunked it in a vat of acid. The skin on her arm began to change, getting softer and taking on a pinkish tone. Fine veins became visible and Emma could see blood flowing in them. With a gasp, she pulled her arm back. It immediately began to change back to match the rest of her. She held her arm out and slowly rotated her wrist, jaw clenched against the pain, as the last bit of pink faded away.

Well that had been thoroughly unpleasant. She certainly wasn't looking forward to going through that again, but if she wanted answers about the barrier, her best bet was likely to be in Storybrooke itself. It also meant that she could keep an eye on Henry better, especially if a certain visitor returned.

The sound of an engine snapped her head around. It was coming from Storybrooke and heading in her direction. Her eyes flicked to her Beetle sitting abandoned on the side of the road. It would be difficult to explain where'd she'd disappeared to without her car. There was no helping it now. She grimaced and stepped back across the barrier.

The pain seemed to go on forever.

When she'd recovered enough to walk, Emma staggered to her car. She dragged herself into the driver's seat and held her head in her hands. It felt different this time. She was dizzy and nauseous and the edges of her vision were flickering black. She vaguely heard the sound of a car and then everything faded to black.

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TBC

Sorry for the second cliffhanger, but it seemed like a good place to stop. Some good guesses in the reviews as to what Emma is. Hopefully this chapter's given you some idea of her abilities, but I tried not to hit you guys over the head with it at this stage.

To the reviewer who asked about her car. It wasn't on fire, rather Emma was, well kinda. Let's just say Storybrooke does strange things to her ;)

Thanks again for the reviews.


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: Nothing belongs to me**

* * *

Emma's eyes flickered open and she immediately scrunched up her face against the annoying brightness of the room she was in. She tried to lift her arm to shield her eyes, only to hear a metallic clink, followed by a sharp pain in her wrist as something resisted the movement. The pain cleared the haze she was in and Emma sat up with a startled gasp.

Her eyes widened as she took in her surroundings. She was obviously in a hospital of some kind, but what was worrying her was the handcuffs attaching her right hand to the bed. Her left arm was free, but she could see the tape from the remnants of an IV line on the back of her hand. She was relieved to find that she was still fully clothed, bar her jacket and boots. Her missing jacket was draped over the chair beside the bed, with the boots sitting on the floor under it.

The last thing she remembered was getting into her car. Obviously her second trip through the barrier had left her much more worse for wear than the first. She cautiously moved her arms and legs. Apart from a slight headache, she felt fine.

She tugged experimentally on the handcuffs, but they were firmly attached to the bed frame. There was enough give in the cuffs to allow her to sit upright comfortably, but that was pretty much it. She fiddled with the controls on the bed, raising it so she could lean back while sitting up.

The door opened and a sandy haired man wearing a white coat, walked in. "Ah Sleeping Beauty finally awakes". He gave her a flirtatious smile. "I'm Doctor Whale, and I'll be your doctor in shining armour today".

Emma just raised her eyebrows at him. "Why am I handcuffed to the bed"?

Doctor Whale looked surprised. "Straight to the point I see. Miss Swan, may I call you Emma?" He didn't wait for a response. "Emma, such a pretty name to match a pretty lady. You know most people would have asked why they were in hospital first".

The man was obviously an outrageous flirt. She supposed he was good looking in a generic Ken doll way, but she was definitely no Barbie. Plus she had always had a preference for dark hair and eyes.

Emma gritted her teeth and smiled tightly. "Ok, why am I in hospital?"

He flashed her another blinding smile in return. "Well the simple answer is dehydration. Tell me Emma, when was the last time you ate or drank?"

She shrugged. "Yesterday, assuming of course that it's still Monday". Dehydration. Interesting, but not entirely surprising given the nature of the change her body had been subjected to.

"Yes it is". Doctor Whale nodded. "Well going by your symptoms, I would have thought it was probably a bit longer. You were severely dehydrated. It's a good thing the Sheriff found you when he did." He actually looked concerned.

The last thing she needed was some nosy doctor, poking and prodding her. She thought quickly. "Well I did go out on Saturday night, may have had a few drinks." Emma smiled widely at him.

"Ah say no more." Doctor Whale winked at her and Emma fought not to roll her eyes. "You should really drink more water the next time though". He made a note on her chart.

"Of course."

"Are you a vegetarian by any chance?"

Now that was an odd question.

"I'm trying the diet out", she answered slowly.

Doctor Whale looked smug. "Thought so. Your iron levels are on the low side. I would recommend you take supplements, but the easiest fix is just to eat some red meat."

Emma nodded in response. The changes she went through when she crossed the barrier were obviously taking a toll on her body. She would need to address a few things before she tried the barrier again. She definitely couldn't afford to pass out every time she crossed into Storybrooke.

"Apart from that everything checks out normal." Doctor Whale returned her chart to the end of her bed and fixed his attention on her. "So tell me Emma, how are you feeling?"

"Pretty good actually". Emma said evenly. She did actually feel surprisingly well.

"Excellent". Doctor Whale nodded. "Good to know the electrolyte replacement worked. You will need to keep drinking throughout the day though. Gatorade should do the trick."

Emma scrunched up her face in disgust. Sugary pop drinks were definitely not something she had missed after her change in diet. She had never cared for the taste.

Doctor Whale noted her expression. "Not a fan of Gatorade I take it?"

"Not really, no".

He smiled condescendingly. "Well Powerade will do as well."

Emma just sighed and nodded.

"Any other questions?"

"Just one. Why am I handcuffed to the bed?" Emma jiggled the cuffs on her right arm and looked pointedly at Doctor Whale.

"Well I'm afraid I can't answer that," he said regretfully. "But the Sheriff certainly can. I'll just go let him know you're awake". Doctor Whale shot her one more smarmy smile and left the room.

Emma didn't have to wait too long before the door opened again, this time to admit the sheriff. It was the same dark haired man she had seen at the mansion. "Miss Swan, I see you're awake".

Emma's eyes narrowed. "Am I under arrest, Sheriff?"

"That remains to be determined". The honey smooth voice that answered definitely did not belong to the sheriff. Regina Mills strolled into the room like she owned it, the staccato click of her heels almost painfully loud in the small space. She was impeccably dressed in a black pencil skirt and grey blazer combo. "Vandalism and destruction of public property". She stopped beside the bed and shook her head in disappointment. "I have to say it's not looking good Miss Swan."

_Wait._ _What?_ Emma shook herself out of the slight daze Regina's entrance had left her in. "Lady, I have no idea what you're talking about."

Regina raised an eyebrow in apparent disbelief, her gaze locked on Emma.

The sheriff cleared his throat and interrupted their impromptu staring match. "One of the signs out on the highway was damaged. Looks like you hit it with your car?"

Emma grimaced as she remembered the rock she'd thrown through the barrier. "Fine whatever. Look I'll pay for the damages."

"That should be.., Regina stopped midsentence as her phone rang. She glanced at the screen and frowned. "If you'll excuse me, I need to take this call." She stepped out of the room.

Emma turned to the sheriff and wordlessly gestured towards her cuffs. He glanced towards the door and hesitated.

"What do you mean Henry wasn't in class this morning?" Regina's voice was suddenly loud enough to carry into Emma's room.

The sheriff and Emma both exchanged worried glances. The kid was missing again? She really hoped he hadn't gone chasing after her.

Regina stormed back into the room and made a beeline for Emma. "Do you know where Henry is?"

Emma tamped down on her instinctive defensive reaction as she noted the white knuckled grip Regina had on her purse. The woman was obviously terrified for her son, and probably for good reason if the barrier around Storybrooke was any indication.

"I haven't seen him since I dropped him at your house." She raised her handcuffed right arm. "Plus I have a pretty good alibi."

"Well he wasn't in class this morning". Regina said flatly.

_If he was outside the barrier…_ Emma fought down her own panic. No, she didn't think the kid would have the resources to leave Storybrooke again so soon after his first attempt, which hopefully meant he was still in the town somewhere. "You should try calling his friends."

Regina immediately shook her head. "He doesn't really have any. He's kind of a loner".

"Every kid has friends", Emma said softly, trying not to antagonise Regina. "Did you check his computer? If he's close to someone he would be emailing them".

"And you know this how?" Regina's voice dripped disbelief as she stared at the blonde.

Emma met her gaze firmly. "Finding people is what I do". She raised her cuffed hand. "Here's an idea. How about you guys let me go, and I'll help you find him".

Regina continued to stare unblinkingly at her. Emma went very still and forced herself not to fidget under the intensity of the look.

"Fine". Regina abruptly broke their gaze and nodded at the sheriff.

After a couple seconds of fumbling he removed the cuffs. Emma shot him a look as she resentfully rubbed at the red mark on her wrist. He looked away guiltily. She quickly grabbed her boots and started pulling them on.

"Sheriff, could you please drop by the school and make sure that Henry is not somewhere on the grounds."

"Of course, Madam Mayor", the dark haired man nodded.

"Miss Swan, lets go". Regina turned on her heel and left the room without a backward glance. Emma picked up her jacket and hurried after her.

* * *

TBC

**Ok I had a bit of a hard time with this chapter, mainly around dialogue and tone. I'm not entirely happy with it but it will do for now. I am sorta following the overall general plot in the episodes themselves, but will be changing a few things around of course, as this is an AU. For instance Emma ended up in the hospital instead of jail after she tried to leave Storybrooke.**

**Thanks heaps for all the reviews, favourites and follows. They really do help with the motivation to write. There's certainly been some great guesses as to what Emma is. TBH I hadn't originally intended for it to be so vague, but it just ended up flowing better when I wrote it that way, so I went with it.  
**


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